Results 1-20 of 24 for gay speaker:Lord Smith of Finsbury

Coroners and Justice Bill: Commons Reasons and Amendments (11 Nov 2009)

Lord Smith of Finsbury: ...with a clash of competing profound values. No one could possibly argue against the principle of free speech and the need of this House and this Parliament to uphold free speech. I happen to be gay. I happen also to be a Christian. I like to believe that I am robust enough to be able to be criticised and have offensive things sometimes said to me because of my sexual orientation and...

Coroners and Justice Bill: Commons Reasons and Amendments (11 Nov 2009)

Lord Smith of Finsbury: ...that it sends to the world outside, can have an impact on behaviour way beyond the actual meaning of the words in the legislation. There is already a huge amount of anxiety and fear among the gay community about the increasing level of attacks. If the signal that the House sends is that it is all right to be intolerant, I fear that we will end up seeing more violence and more attacks and...

Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill (7 May 2008)

Lord Smith of Finsbury: ...does not happen. My very strong belief is that the Government's legislation does not lead to that mischief. However, I would simply ask the House to understand that for many people who happen to be gay or lesbian in this country, it is not just a case of being interrogated, questioned or harassed; it is a question of being kicked, bruised, injured and, in some cases, killed because of...

Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 (21 Mar 2007)

Lord Smith of Finsbury: ...child is best placed in a same-sex household, then that is where the child should go. Fourthly, there is a real issue of actual discrimination and detriment to people who happen to be lesbian or gay; such discrimination happens here and now, in our society. These regulations seek to tackle that. Gay partners are turned away from bed-and-breakfast accommodation and they are deeply...

Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (9 Jan 2007)

Lord Smith of Finsbury: ...these matters we had simply substituted the word "black" for the word "homosexual", I wonder whether we would be giving house room to some of these arguments. I speak as someone who happens to be a gay man. I also happen to be a Christian. My Christianity is about being inclusive, not about being exclusive. It is about being accepting of others. It is about celebrating the differences...

Written Answers — Home Department: Public Events (Police Participation) (8 Jul 2003)

Mr Chris Smith: ...b) other forces on the participation in uniform by off-duty police officers in public events; and what representations he has received on the participation of police officers in (i) the Lesbian and Gay Pride March in London and (ii) Europride March in Manchester in 2003.

National Lottery (23 Oct 2002)

Mr Chris Smith: ...East Chelmsford (Mr. Whittingdale), first, came from the Daily Mail and, secondly, related to organisations responsible for supporting either asylum seekers or people who happen to be lesbian or gay. If that is not picking on minorities, I am not sure what is. The second thing that I would tell my right hon. Friend is that, as she considers the representations now arriving in relation to...

House of Lords Reform (10 Jan 2002)

Mr Chris Smith: ...the main thrust of legislation. Let us not forget that the other place has considerable powers. For example, to my grief over many years, its Members have caused enormous damage to our lesbian and gay citizens. I do not wish to remove those powers from it, but it is important to maintain its revising role, rather than a principal role of initiating and passing legislation. Finally, it...

New clause 3: Amendment of Law Relating to (21 Feb 1994)

Mr Chris Smith: ...younger men holds water. A fourth argument has been advanced, and it has been touched on by one or two Conservative Members. It is a deeper and I suggest less worthy argument. It is that being gay is abnormal and therefore unnatural and illegitimate. To those people, I would say this. Yes, we are different. We have a different sexuality. But that does not make us in any way less valid or...

New clause 3: Amendment of Law Relating to (21 Feb 1994)

Mr Chris Smith: ...and I will not dwell on it further. Suffice it to say that I believe in the fundamental principle that we are all equal before the law. At present, the law does not permit that in the case of young gay men. This country has laws that say that one may not discriminate on the grounds of race or gender. Perhaps those laws are not always implemented as Parliament wished when it passed them,...

Orders of the Day — Criminal Justice Bill: Restrictions on Imposing Custodial Sentences (20 Feb 1991)

Mr Chris Smith: ...for Lancaster (Dame E. Kellett-Bowman), passionately though I disagree with its content and the colour of her language. The Government will appreciate the degree of concern felt in the lesbian and gay community over the original proposal in clause 25 when it first saw the light of day. To many people, it seemed as though the Government were intent on increasing the penalties for...

Orders of the Day — Local Government Bill: Prohibition on Promoting Homosexuality by Teaching or by Publishing Material. (9 Mar 1988)

Mr Chris Smith: ...further. 7.15 pm Because of that lack of definition, the central problem remains. The clause will potentially affect any service provided by any local authority for, or on behalf of, or in support of, gays and lesbians in that local authority's area. Let me take just two examples to illustrate my point. First, let us suppose that a teenager begins to discover that he is gay. He feels...

Orders of the Day — Local Government Bill: Prohibition on Promoting Homosexuality by Teaching or by Publishing Material. (9 Mar 1988)

Mr Chris Smith: ...about the life of Sir Thomas More. In that play, the king sent out. Sir Thomas More to meet the mob that wishes to drive out the strangers from its midst—the immigrants, the black people, the gays and the lesbians. Sir Thomas More goes out to meet the crowd. He tries to persuade it that it is wrong to drive out strangers and that it might not be in its interests to do so. Shakespeare...

Orders of the Day — Local Government Bill: Prohibition on Promoting Homosexuality by Teaching or by Publishing Material (15 Dec 1987)

Mr Chris Smith: Neither should it go unnoticed that, during the same weekend, teargas bombs were thrown into a crowded pub in Rochester. Nor should it go unnoticed that the number of queer-bashing attacks on gay men and lesbians has dramatically increased during the past year. I invite Conservative Members to condemn that sort of violence in exactly the same ringing tones in which they have condemned other...

Orders of the Day — Local Government Bill: Prohibition on Promoting Homosexuality by Teaching or by Publishing Material (15 Dec 1987)

Mr Chris Smith: ...of diversity that clause 27 and the motives that underpin it seek to undermine. I plead with Conservative Members that they should not go in for the all-too-easy, all-too-prevalent sport of gay bashing which is on the increase. Instead, they should acknowledge that true decency and morality exist in recognising and respecting the dignity of all citizens, no matter who or what they are....

Orders of the Day — Local Government Bill: Prohibition on Promoting Homosexuality by Teaching or by Publishing Material (15 Dec 1987)

Mr Chris Smith: ...as homosexuals. If a local authority places those books in a public library, will it be regarded by the courts as promoting homosexuality? Secondly, if a pub or club that caters for a principally gay clientele applies for a music licence and the local authority grants that licence, will that local authority be regarded by the courts as promoting homosexuality? Thirdly, if concerned or...

Orders of the Day — Local Government Bill: Prohibition on Promoting Homosexuality by Teaching or by Publishing Material (15 Dec 1987)

Mr Chris Smith: Time is limited, so I must proceed. Any form of advice or counselling, or work for, or provision of services to, the lesbian or gay community will, in the minds of local authorities, come to be seen to be prohibited.

Orders of the Day — Local Government Bill: Prohibition on Promoting Homosexuality by Teaching or by Publishing Material (15 Dec 1987)

Mr Chris Smith: ...two or three years ago, and that worries me profoundly. That is the real tragedy of the clause and the emotions that underlie it. I believe that there are two motives. The first is the use of anti-gay sentiment for political ends. I shall say no more about that, because it is one of the most disreputable political activities in which anyone could indulge.

Orders of the Day — Local Government Bill: Prohibition on Promoting Homosexuality by Teaching or by Publishing Material (15 Dec 1987)

Mr Chris Smith: I shall not give way to my hon. Friend. The second motive is a desire to change the climate so that to be gay or lesbian is to feel and to be treated as a second-class citizen. The climate has changed. There is more intolerance now than there was five or 10 years ago. The House cannot have failed to notice that last Saturday there was an arson attack on the offices of the Capital Gay...

Customs Consolidation (Amendment) (2 Jul 1986)

Mr Chris Smith: ...imported from the EEC and material imported from non-EEC countries. Further confusion has arisen following the Customs and Excise decision of last Friday to drop all its charges against the Gay"s the Word bookshop in Marchrnont street, London. It was right that it should take that decision. The outdated law—the Customs Consolidation Act—was being operated in a discriminatory...